2. catch [ v ] perceive with the senses quickly, suddenly, or momentarilyExamples:"I caught the aroma of coffee""He caught the allusion in her glance" "ears open to catch every sound""The dog picked up the scent""Catch a glimpse"

Used in print:

(Organic Gardening and Farming,...)

Sometimes it takes several `` eatings '' of avocado to catch that delightful quality in taste that has made it such a favorite throughout the world .

(Frieda Arkin, "The Light of the Sea," in The...)

He ran on his plump sticks of legs , freezing now_and_again into the sudden startled attitudes which the camera had caught and held_on the paling photographs , all carefully placed and glued and labeled , resting in the fat plush album in the bottom drawer of the escritoire .

He gave Abel a quick glance and moved closer to the wheel , hugging it to him , and Abel caught this briefest of allusions to guilt .

5. catch [ v ] take hold of so as to seize or restrain or stop the motion ofExamples:"Catch the ball!""Grab the elevator door!"

Used in print:

(The Dallas Morning News,...)

His statistical record that year , when Texas won only one game and lost nine , was far from impressive : he carried the ball three times for a net gain of 10 yards , punted once for 39 yards and caught one pass for 13 yards .

(Bonnie Prudden, "The Dancer and the Gymnast"...)

Eventually the class will be able to kick up high enough so_that the teacher can catch the leading leg .

(Richard Ferber, Bitter Valley....)

She swung the quirt again , and this time he caught her wrist and pulled her out of the saddle .

The aspects of physical development that catch the judges ' eyes and which rightfully influence their decisions are symmetry and that hallmark of the true champion - superior definition of the muscles .

(Arthur Miller, "The Prophecy," in The Best...)

She had begun to turn_back toward the house , but his look caught her and she stood_still , waiting there for what his expression indicated would be a serious word_of_farewell .

12. catch [ v ] catch up with and possibly overtakeExamples:"The Rolls Royce caught us near the exit ramp"

Used in print:

(Ralph J. Salisbury, "On the Old Santa Fe Trail...)

I let_up on the accelerator , only to gradually reach again the 60 m._p._h. which would , I hoped , overhaul Herry and the blonde , and as there were cars whose drivers apparently had something more important to catch than had I , Mrs._Major_Roebuck settled_down to practicing on Corporal_Johnson the kittenish wiles she would need when making her duty call on Colonel and Mrs. Somebody in Sante_Fe .

14. catch [ v ] grasp with the mind or develop an understanding ofExamples:"did you catch that allusion?""We caught something of his theory in the lecture""don't catch your meaning""did you get it?""She didn't get the joke""I just don't get him"

Used in print:

(Brainard Cheney, "Christianity and the Tragic Vision-Ut...)

He opens his discourse , however , with a review of the Eisenhower inaugural festivities at which a sympathetic press had assembled its massive talents , all primed to catch some revelation of the emerging new age .

And he took repeated care to let his colleagues know that he intended them : `` Even the Unitarian churches have caught the malaria , and are worse than those who deceived them '' - which implied that they were very bad indeed .